Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image processing apparatus, a control method for an image processing apparatus, and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
Some image processing apparatuses, such as image forming apparatuses, are equipped with a general technique of, when an abnormality has occurred during reading of a document image, suspending a reading operation, performing error processing, and then re-performing the reading operation. The abnormality, which may occur during reading, includes, for example, an abnormality that requires users to remove a document, such as a paper jam occurring during conveyance of a document, and an abnormality of an image transfer signal caused by noises or other factors.
In particular, in the case of an abnormality of an image transfer signal, merely re-performing reading may often resolve an error. Therefore, with regard to processing for re-performing reading when an abnormality of an image transfer signal is detected, it is desirable that processing for rereading be automatically performed without waiting for the reception of a reading re-performing instruction from the user. Such a rereading function is currently available for some image forming apparatuses.
Moreover, there is known a technique of performing reading image processing and printing image processing in parallel when printing and outputting a read document image (hereinafter referred to as “FCOT mode”).
Here, “FCOT” refers to a time required until a sheet on which image data generated by reading the first page of a document has been printed is output (First Copy Out Time).
A method for implementing the FCOT mode is discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-69318. There are also known image forming apparatuses equipped with a sequential transmission mode of performing document reading and transmission in parallel when performing facsimile transmission (hereinafter referred to as “direct transmission mode”).
In the case of the FCOT mode, in which reading image processing and printing image processing or read processing and output processing, such as read processing and facsimile transmission processing, are performed in parallel, when an abnormality has occurred during read processing, output processing also needs to be simultaneously suspended. In particular, in the case of facsimile transmission processing, when an abnormality has occurred during read processing, a communication line needs to be interrupted. For that purpose, a retry counter is provided to control processing as follows.
For example, in the FCOT mode, in a case where image data has been partially transferred to the printer side, since retry may make the image data abnormal, it is undesirable to perform retry, so that the retry counter is set to 0. On the other hand, in other processing operations, it may be desirable to perform retry, so that the retry counter is set to a variable equal to or greater than 1.
Furthermore, on the other hand, a power failure may occur depending on electrical power conditions in Japan or foreign countries, such as India. Therefore, it may be desirable to set the threshold value of the retry counter to a variable specific for each destination.
The following are issues arising in a case where a factor causing the requirement of recovery processing attributes to an abnormality of signal processing.
The above-mentioned image processing apparatus detects an abnormality of signal processing (signal abnormality), the occurrence frequency of which is not so high unlike the occurrence of a paper jam, and automatically recovers read processing. Then, since the communication line has already been interrupted, an unnecessary reading operation may be performed. In addition, in a case where there is an abnormality in a data path for transferring signals, even if the image processing apparatus automatically performs reading recovery processing, a signal abnormality may occur again. Therefore, unless interruption processing is performed by the user, recovery processing may be performed unlimitedly.
Moreover, the occurrence frequency of signal abnormality varies with the electrical power conditions of operation locations of image forming apparatuses. Therefore, in the case of the above-mentioned configuration in which the limit of the number of times of recovery processing caused by signal abnormality is fixed, it is impossible to implement recovery processing adapted to each destination in which image forming apparatuses are used.